Faith is what founded the Aegean System but now, 2042 years after the Exodus of mankind to the universe they inhabit today, religion is on the decline. While Delphi is the heart of the Asterian faith, most planets lack an Asterian majority. Atheists and Agnostics are commonly found, as are those who don't worry about faith at all. While religion is on the decline, the Oracle of the Asterian faith is still a political leader and is treated as such with respect, if only by that merit.

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The Asterian faith was established in 25 AE*, four years after Delphi was settled. The leader of the faith then, and today, is the Oracle, a virginal young woman who, hidden by a veil, receives divine visions of the future. While the Oracle is considered the spiritual leader she is only human and is such, replaced every thirty to forty years.

Asterians are highly ritualistic, below are some of their customs.

Common Practices-Asterians pray for any number of reasons to the Great Mother, or one of her three daughters on their own or at a temple. They spend time meditating to allow themselves to get in sync with the greater universe. When visiting a temple Asterians remove their shoes and any jewelry and change into simple white robes, provided by the temple. Offerings of incense are made (and a possible donation) and prayers and meditation follow.

Festival of Colors-Once a year, on the anniversary of the Oracle's first vision, a large festival takes place on Delphi and pilgrimage is made to it by those who are able, while others who are unable to leave their planets visit their own temples. The festival is large and exciting, but remains humble, a celebration for all. Large feasts are thrown, prayers are made, and at the end of the three week long celebration, fireworks light up the sky and powdered colors are thrown about the streets and onto each other as blessings.

Death Ceremonies -The faithful dead are cremated and their ashes released into the atmosphere along with highly pigmented colored chalks and powders. Death is made into a celebration through these means and wakes commemorate lives well lived. Political prisoners and those convicted of exceptional violence against their fellow man are not allowed to have their ashes spread among the stars upon their deaths, guaranteed only a cremation where the remains are kept locked away. If an Asterian is not cremated their souls cannot rejoin the Great Mother in the stars. While burial is considered the cruelest damnation, tomb stones or small memorials are not uncommon, typically found in a place special to the one who has passed.

Men and Women-While all Oracles and temple priestess are women, men also keep the religion going. Many men work at the temple at Delphi, caring for the grounds and working just as hard as their female counterparts. Both sexes can lead group prayers and meditations, and both are just as capable of receiving the sight*. Men typically serve as missionaries of the faith, traveling more often than the women.

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History of the First Man, an Asterian Establishment Story

There is a time for all things and in this way the First Nomads made exodus of their home world when threatened by invaders from an unknown land. These strangers came not with gifts or peace but brought a devastating war to the home planet. A great fleet of ships carried the children of man into the stars where they watched in horror as their home was destroyed—ravaged by fire and death. They wept as they journeyed throughout the heavens in search of a new home. The Nomads traveled for twenty one years and their numbers grew small.

When they reached the Aegean System they were weary and well tried. They came first to Delphi but were at disagreement over where they would land on her surface. In a quiet ship within the fleet there was a mother with seven sons who was given the first vision by the Great Mother in her dreams. The vision told her of Delphi where the Nomads would find peace, rest, and a great temple. The mother took this vision to the leader of the Nomads. He was doubtful but allowed the mother to guide them to the great temple. There they found a magnificent temple strangely uninhabited and they made their home there.

The mother gathered her things as all the others did and went inside the temple to find a place to rest. In the centermost chamber she found a loom with an unfinished tapestry that illustrated darkness swept away by the sacrifice of a Great Mother who brought light and breathed life into the galaxy. She had three daughters before she rejoined the heavens: one to carry her message, one to nurture the souls of man, and one to walk alongside mankind to provide guidance.

The tapestry depicted the Exodus of their home world and the mother was taken over by the power of Iole, the oldest daughter of the Great Mother, and began to weave the tapestry, completing the Nomad’s history and revealing seven other planets within the system. The mother brought her leader to see the work she had created and told him of the other planets. The leader thanked her for bringing the Nomads to Delphi because when she had spoken the things she said were true and the people celebrated and called her Fate.

The seven sons of Fate lead their people to explore the other planets and were bountiful. Fate stayed behind with the young women and Iole continued to come to her with visions and the tapestry grew with their history and their future and when Fate spoke and the things she said were true the people celebrated and called her Priestess.

Seasons changed and babies were born. Under the sign of their Priestess they would become the generation known as First Man. The Priestess blessed each child under the name of Ellipse, the second daughter of the Great Mother, to protect and nurture their souls so they could join the Great Mother when their time came. Ellipse called that all souls she blessed would be released through fire and spread among the stars. The Priestess gave a prediction of destiny for each child and it was kept secret until they came of age. When she spoke the things she said were true and the people celebrated and called her Oracle.

When Oracle grew old and her hands could no longer work the tapestry, she called on Iole to bring her an heir. A child of the First Man was brought to the temple by a blind woman and offered to the Oracle. The girl was pure of heart and soul and untouched by the world. The blind woman stayed and helped the Oracle raise the girl into womanhood. When the Oracle’s time was near Iole revealed the blind woman to her as Calixta, the youngest daughter of the Great Mother. Oracle knew the child she had raised would take her place and on her death bed exclaimed,

“The agony exquisite! The colors run the path of ashes and all will be as one among the heavens!”

Oracle’s body passed on and her soul was released with fire. Her ashes were freed into the heavens with powered colors and blessed the clouds and stars with beautiful color and all knew that she would become a star to watch over them.

The child became the next Oracle. She was given visions by Iole and continued the tapestry. She blessed all in the name of Ellipse. The Oracle was able to spread the Great Mother’s love across the galaxy by teaching others at the temple as she had been taught. They took her words and brought them to the planets of the seven brothers. There they built temples to Ellipse so that all on those planets could be blessed by her. When Calixta revealed herself to the Oracle she took a white veil and covered her eyes so that the image of her face would be the last she saw.

So it is, and so it shall ever be. The Oracle is given visions by Iole, blesses all in the name of Ellipse, and is counseled by Calixta. She leads all to rejoin the Great Mother in the heavens when their time comes.

To celebrate the Oracle, colors are thrown into the heavens every year to honor her and great festivals and feasts take place at the temple of each planet and at this time all are blessed. Those devoted to the Oracle and her teachings make pilgrimage to the temple where the Priestesses give predictions of the future and the Oracle reveals the fate of the descendants of the First Man.

There is a time for all things, and in this way all things shall pass and there will be a time for mourning and a time for celebration. Suffering will end and our ashes will be spread among the heavens. Our souls will rejoin the Great Mother and our bodies will become stars.

The Great Mother, creator goddess-Recognized as the one who led the Nomads to the Aegean System and to Delphi. She is credited with creating the system, breathing life into the worlds here at the cost of her own. Prayers of thanks are offered to her, but nothing is ever asked of her. When Asterians die, they believe their souls rejoin her in the stars, her spirit creating the already beautiful colors of the universe.

Iole, oldest daughter of the Great Mother-She is credited with bringing visions to the Oracles, carrying on her mother's word so that mankind can continue to prosper. Prayers to Iole ask for clarification and guidance.

Ellipse, second daughter of the Great Mother-Protector of all, Ellipse's name calls down blessings to those who call out to her. Babies are given a blessing under her name when they are born to protect them. All temples are dedicated to her honor in exchange for blessing and protection. Prayers to Ellipse ask for blessing, grace, and protection from harm.

Calixta, youngest daughter of the Great Mother-Companion to the Oracle, Calixta often disguises herself, taking the form of humans in order to lead the faithful to their full potential. She is the only one of the goddesses who comes in a physical form. If a stranger offers you wisdom, it could be considered to be from Calixta. Prayers to her ask for guidance, success, and companionship.

The Oracle-A virginal young woman raised at the temple of Delphi who receives visions from Iole and records them by weaving them into a massive tapestry in the heart of the temple. When selected as the next Oracle, the woman forgoes her identity and covers her face with an almost opaque veil. Prayers are not offered to her, but rather, for her. While reclusive, priestesses carry her word out to the masses. Because of the increasing vaugeness of her prophecies over the last hundred years, and unwillingness to let Delphi participate in putting down or aiding the rebellion on Byzantium, it caused a blow to the faith.

Priestesses-Virginal women who assist the Oracle and bring her word to the masses, priestesses serve at the temples across the temple. When a priestess decides she wants to marry and have a family, she may honorably leave her position and a new priestess will take her place.

Seers*-Seers can be either male or female, and are especially unique. These are individuals who were born with the Sight, an ability to foresee brief bits of future, small in comparison to the power of the Oracles' visions. However, those with the sight can grow their power and while only able to look ahead through meditation, they can sometimes read into a persons' heart, picking up the emotions hidden therein. Seers are always born into the Asterian faith and if they stray later in life, the Sight diminishes to nothing but intuition.

*If you are interested in making a character with the Sight, PM Shelby for permission. Any undocumented Seers will be deleted without notice.